Out of the Mists
by Calliope3243
Summary: A little extra after the epilogue of Mistborn. I always felt that there could have been a bit more when Vin drops in on Elend.


Vin landed with a soft thump, the tassels of her mistcloak fluttering outward before settling silently against her body. Elend looked up at her with mild shock, as if forgetting that she could Push herself up to the tops of buildings and drop through skylights. After a moment, his mouth quirked in a small smile, and he set his book aside.

"Hi," he murmured, rising from his chair.

"Hi."

There was a long pause, and Vin began to question her abrupt decision to drop in on him. They'd seen very little of each other since that night in Kredik Shaw. The night when he had found out she was a Mistborn. The night she had kissed him. She didn't know what to say or where to begin.

Elend glanced down at her leg, which had been splinted and wrapped thickly with dark bandages. "How's the leg?"

Vin shrugged, fidgeting with a tassel on her cloak. "It's not so bad. When I'm burning pewter, I can barely feel it. The bandage is bulky, though. It gets in the way."

Elend nodded. "Valette… Vin… How are _you_?"

Vin looked away, sighing. Even after all that had happened, all their success, it felt like Kelsier's death was tearing a hole through her chest. Her own personal Deepness. "I'm… tired."

Elend nodded again, compassion filling his eyes. He stepped around his desk, looking sorrowful and compassionate. Like he had that night on the balcony when he'd given her his handkerchief. The one she still had tucked up her sleeve.

There was another long pause. Questions burned in her throat that she had no idea how to voice. She felt like Vin the street urchin again, the painfully quiet girl that feared to speak her mind rather than the Mistborn who, only days before, had killed a god. She opened her mouth, determined to say something, when Elend spoke.

"Do you love me?"

Vin stood, shocked silent by the suddenness of the question.

Elend continued in a rush. "It's just- that night in Kredik Shaw, you kissed me. And Valette-" He caught himself with a smirk. "Vin. I think I've loved you since the moment I gave you my handkerchief, maybe since the moment I saw you standing in my spot at your first ball. And, well, do you love me?"

Vin felt her face heat a little. He loved her. He'd said it. "You're not angry that I deceived you? About being Mistborn? About being skaa?"

Elend ran a hand through his hair. "I'll admit that the Mistborn thing was a bit of a shock. You spend all that time trying to protect someone only to find out that they are perfectly capable of protecting themselves. But, Vin, you did what you did to survive, to help others, even. How could I be mad at you?"

Vin grinned suddenly, throwing herself at Elend with a pewter-quick stride. He laughed in surprise, catching her and burying his head in her neck.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I love you."

Elend's arms tightened, and she flared tin, sighing at the feel of his arms around her and his heart beating against her chest. He stroked her hair gently.

"You know, most people would consider it most improper for an unmarried lady to be so physically affectionate with one of her gentleman suitors," Elend said with a smirk.

Vin grinned, pulling back. "Well thankfully, being skaa, I need not care about the expectations of ladies. And, as you're so fond of saying, you're no gentleman, Lord Venture."

"Thankfully." Elend smiled widely. "I think, then, that I may as well throw caution to the mists and kiss you." He leaned forward, stroking her hair back from her face and pressing his lips softly against hers. Vin sighed, leaning into the kiss. His lips parted, and she followed suit, enjoying the gentle intimacy of his lips moving slowly against hers.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Your Majesty? I have those papers you asked for."

They parted, both blushing. "Perhaps I spoke too soon." Elend smiled.

"It's ok. I should be on patrol anyway," Vin said with a mix of disappointment and relief.

Elend squeezed her hand. "Be careful."

"I thought we already established that I didn't need protecting, Elend Venture." Vin smirked.

Elend kissed her fingertips in the courtly fashion. "Still. Be careful."

She blushed, then winked at him and moved to stand over the coin she'd dropped earlier. She Pushed, shooting up through the skylight. The mists enveloped her, and, for once, she longed for a different embrace.


End file.
